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Recent rumors and gossip about NHLen-usDevils’ Fitzgerald, Penguins’ Guerin also out of Carolina GM searchNew Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon probably did not expect this process to be so hard. After Los Angles Kings Assistant GM Mike Futa joined Nashville Predators Assistant GM Paul Fenton in dropping out of the running to be the next Hurricanes GM early yesterday, two more names are off the list. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reached out to a potential candidate, New Jersey Devils Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald, and found that he too had pulled out of the search. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun hears Pittsburgh Penguins Assistant GM Bill Guerin also declined to get involved in the process.Fitzgerald, 49, had a long NHL career, lasting from 1988 to 2006, and then joined the Penguins front office in 2007. He has been the AGM of the Devils since 2015. The experienced hockey mind comes from a strong hockey bloodline and has two sons, Ryan and Casey, with NHL potential. There are many reasons why Fitzgerald would be a strong hire and he certainly seems to have a GM title in his future, but it won’t be with Carolina. Fitzgeral17 Mar 2018 13:11:19 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/devils_fitzgerald_penguins_guerin_also_out_of_carolina_gm_search/s1_14825_25968653
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/devils_fitzgerald_penguins_guerin_also_out_of_carolina_gm_search/s1_14825_25968653Devils’ Fitzgerald, Penguins’ Guerin also out of Carolina GM searchhttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/devils_fitzgerald_penguins_guerin_also_out_of_carolina_gm_search/s1_14825_25968653http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/1/0132286dade5a891603d360e25f8f72e96d48499/top_story/10110766.jpgArizona grants personal leave for Rick TocchetThe Arizona Coyotes will be coached by
John MacLean for the time being, after announcing that Rick Tocchet will be taking a leave of absence to deal with a family illness. The Coyotes have 14 games remaining in the regular season.Though they still sit last in the NHL, the Coyotes have played well of late, going 9-3-1 over the last month. Although coming last increases your odds in the draft lottery, climbing out of the bottom would be an accomplishment for a team that has struggled right from the start of the season. Arizona, led by new head coach Tocchet, didn’t win in regulation until the 21st game of the season. It’s been a work in progress for the coaching staff, but there are some things to look forward to.MacLean will bring some experience to the job, as he served as head coach of the New Jersey Devils briefly and was a long-time player in the league. In 1,194 regular season games as a player, MacLean scored 842 points and won the Stanley Cup in 1995 with the Devils. It’s not clear when Tocchet will re12 Mar 2018 15:21:06 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/arizona_grants_personal_leave_for_rick_tocchet/s1_14825_25920584
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/arizona_grants_personal_leave_for_rick_tocchet/s1_14825_25920584Arizona grants personal leave for Rick Tocchethttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/arizona_grants_personal_leave_for_rick_tocchet/s1_14825_25920584http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/f/8f2af2cbbfb4145d2db4ff5339f9819da3f64028/top_story/10396299.jpgWild will have to make decisions on Staal, Zucker soonWhile the Minnesota Wild will likely need to fight every game for the rest of the season to reach the playoffs, there isn’t a lot of talk about what the team intends to do in the offseason, yet there are key decisions the Wild will have to make in the coming months, including what to do with a pair of their top forwards in Eric Staal and Jason Zucker.While the team is already loaded in forwards who are locked up long-term, both Staal and Zucker have been key players for this year’s team. Staal still has another year remaining at $3.5M, but would be eligible for an extension on July 1. At 33 years of age, the team is in a tough situation as it wants to make sure they don’t get stuck with a long-term deal with another aging player like it did with Mikko Koivu. However, Staal has put up 61 goals in two seasons for Minnesota and doesn’t look like he’s slowing down. The Athletic’s Michael Russo (subscription required) writes that the team should consider a three-year extension in the $5M range. He writes he doesn’03 Mar 2018 20:39:26 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/minnesota_wild_will_have_to_make_decisions_on_staal_zucker_soon/s1_14825_25850180
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/minnesota_wild_will_have_to_make_decisions_on_staal_zucker_soon/s1_14825_25850180Wild will have to make decisions on Staal, Zucker soonhttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/minnesota_wild_will_have_to_make_decisions_on_staal_zucker_soon/s1_14825_25850180http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/1/01082714885a49cd534b6441d94549d375a54271/top_story/10657338.jpgInjury Notes: Blues' Bortuzzo, Jackets' Mason set to return; Leafs' Matthews closerThe St. Louis Blues are getting some reinforcements on the blue line, as they have activated Robert Bortuzzo from the injured reserve. Bortuzzo has been sidelined for more than two weeks with a knee injury suffered against the Dallas Stars back in mid-February. The big defenseman had played in 55 games with the Blues up to that point and should jump back into the starting lineup sooner rather than later. According to The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, that could even be tonight in a rematch with the Stars with crucial divisional points on the line. The Blues then take four days off ahead of a season-defining road trip against Western Wild Card contenders: San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim and Colorado. If St. Louis is still alive in the playoff race after these next five games, they could look forward to another addition on defense in the return of Joel Edmundson. In the meantime, Bortuzzo will be looked upon to step up in his return.
Another Central Division squad is getting deeper at a key position. After nearl03 Mar 2018 12:35:19 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/injury_notes_bortuzzo_mason_matthews/s1_14825_25848761
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/injury_notes_bortuzzo_mason_matthews/s1_14825_25848761Injury Notes: Blues' Bortuzzo, Jackets' Mason set to return; Leafs' Matthews closerhttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/injury_notes_bortuzzo_mason_matthews/s1_14825_25848761http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/6/a63844cfde78e7c224c233af314dfacdecdd22c1/top_story/10535913.jpgGerman star Dominik Kahun eyeing jump to NHLIt certainly feels like Germany is about to take that next step toward becoming a legitimate hockey power. After an amazing run to the gold medal game at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, coached by arguably the best German player of all-time, Marco Sturm, hockey fans in Germany and around the world are starting to realize that German hockey has quietly gained a foothold in the NHL and has now announced its presence on an international scale. With the likes of Leon Draisaitl – easily the biggest threat to unseat Sturm or Jochen Hecht as the top German to ever play – Tobias Rieder and Tom Kuhnhackl making an impact as forwards in the NHL, Dennis Seidenberg (a German legend in his own right) and Korbinian Holzer still playing key roles on the blue line at the highest level, Philipp Grubauer and Thomas Greiss doing their best to be the next Olaf Kolzig, and young Dominik Bokk set to soon join the ranks as a surefire first-rounder in 2018, the quantity and quality of German players in the NHL may be at an all-t03 Mar 2018 11:13:07 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/german_star_dominik_kahun_eyeing_jump_to_nhl/s1_14825_25848290
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/german_star_dominik_kahun_eyeing_jump_to_nhl/s1_14825_25848290German star Dominik Kahun eyeing jump to NHLhttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/german_star_dominik_kahun_eyeing_jump_to_nhl/s1_14825_25848290http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/d/5d543c7b5d11a25f4b38eb00a8548bfa2f09ded6/top_story/10654941.jpgRangers trade Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller to LightningRyan McDonagh has been traded. The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired the New York Rangers captain, pending a trade call according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. No details have been released on the return. Ryan McDonagh has been traded. The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired the New York Rangers captain, pending a trade call according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. Darren Dreger adds that J.T. Miller is also expected to be in the trade. McKenzie tweets that the return will be Vladislav Namestnikov, Libor Hajek, Brett Howden, a 2018 first-round pick and a conditional second-round pick that will become a first-round pick if the Lightning win the Stanley Cup this year or next.In the biggest deal of the year, the Lightning have added that much-needed defensive help by bringing in McDonagh. The 28-year-old former captain is a legitimate first-pairing player but will be able to slot in behind Victor Hedman to give Tampa Bay two impressive pairings. They also completed the deal without giving up Mikhail Sergachev, who projects to 26 Feb 2018 17:06:06 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/ryan_mcdonagh_acquired_by_tampa_bay_lightning/s1_14825_25809200
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/ryan_mcdonagh_acquired_by_tampa_bay_lightning/s1_14825_25809200Rangers trade Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller to Lightninghttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/ryan_mcdonagh_acquired_by_tampa_bay_lightning/s1_14825_25809200http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/3/d3e576d1d62606df5b99f2df2fdb8e5c77427092/top_story/10501171.jpgRangers trade Rick Nash to BruinsThe Boston Bruins have sent a message that they want to contend in the postseason this year, as they have reportedly acquired veteran left wing Rick Nash in a trade with the New York Rangers.TSN’s Bob McKenzie first reported on Sunday that the Rangers will receive a package including a first-round pick and defensive prospect Ryan Lindgren in exchange for Nash. The team later confirmed the details. Nash, 33, is the type of big-bodied goal scorer the Bruins were looking to add before Monday’s trade deadline, and it appears they have accomplished that goal. The former No. 1 overall pick’s scoring numbers have been down a bit in recent seasons, but he’s a five-time All-Star who has eclipsed the 40-point mark 10 times in his 15-year NHL career.The Bruins are currently 59-37-14 and the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.25 Feb 2018 22:37:06 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/rangers_trade_rick_nash_to_bruins/s1_127_25798994
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/rangers_trade_rick_nash_to_bruins/s1_127_25798994Rangers trade Rick Nash to Bruinshttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/rangers_trade_rick_nash_to_bruins/s1_127_25798994http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/4/b4a4279b2ebedf1223d0a51950dbb0ebedc0d5d8/top_story/GettyImages-924261090.jpgSenators, Karlsson trying to get trade done by deadlineThe Ottawa Senators and Erik Karlsson are both working hard on making a deal happen by the trade deadline with the Tampa Bay Lightning being the leading candidate to acquire the star defenseman, according to Elliotte Friedman Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada.“Whatever gets said, the belief is the Ottawa Senators want to try to make this happen and Erik Karlsson wants it to happen, and they have been grinding away in the last two or three days to see if they can,” Friedman said. “Obviously Tampa Bay is a leading contender, I think they’ve thrown several different proposals at each other.”While negotiations haven’t reached their final stages, other teams have also shown interest in Karlsson, including the Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights.The idea that Karlsson could end up in Tampa Bay is not unrealistic considering he is close friends with fellow Swede Victor Hedman. The two playing on the Lightning’s blueline could be the ultimate piece for a team that want to win a Stanley 25 Feb 2018 11:32:15 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/senators_karlsson_trying_to_get_trade_done_by_deadline/s1_14825_25799507
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/senators_karlsson_trying_to_get_trade_done_by_deadline/s1_14825_25799507Senators, Karlsson trying to get trade done by deadlinehttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/senators_karlsson_trying_to_get_trade_done_by_deadline/s1_14825_25799507http://www.yardbarker.com/media/e/c/eca400270efc56bf286117b88d3d65826abab46c/top_story/10608787.jpgTrade Deadline Notes: Sharks buying and selling; Interest in McDonagh growsThe San Jose Sharks are playing both buyer and seller at this year’s trade deadline. The Sharks are currently second in the Pacific Division, looking to hold off the Ducks, Kings, and Flames, and are known to be looking for scoring help up front. They have been attached to names like Evander Kane, Rick Nash, and really most high-profile forwards on the market. At the same time, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the team has requested a no-trade list from veteran forward Joel Ward. Ward, 37, is an impending free agent who has fallen out of favor in the San Jose lineup. He has a six-team no-trade list that he can use to slightly reduce the number of possible destinations, should he be traded. Ward has played in only 46 games this season, with just 11 points to show for it, but more importantly, has seen his once-valued penalty kill role diminished, along with his even strength ice time. Ward can still be an asset for many teams as both an experienced locker room presence and reliable two-way depth option, but he24 Feb 2018 14:10:43 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/trade_deadline_notes_ward_mcdonagh_oduya_plekanec/s1_14825_25793081
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/trade_deadline_notes_ward_mcdonagh_oduya_plekanec/s1_14825_25793081Trade Deadline Notes: Sharks buying and selling; Interest in McDonagh growshttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/trade_deadline_notes_ward_mcdonagh_oduya_plekanec/s1_14825_25793081http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/5/454bc290ce43f780070cd9d2243c40306744d0f7/top_story/10596034.jpgRoberto Luongo gives emotional speech about school shootingLongtime Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo gave an emotional speech about the Parkland school shooting prior to the team’s home game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.Luongo is in his 10th season with the team, spread over two stints. Luongo lives in Parkland and says his children go to school in Parkland, so last week’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the city affected him deeply.The Panthers were on a road trip until returning home this week for Thursday’s game, so this was the first chance Luongo had to address the home crowd. He gave an emotional speech: Luongo called for the community to take action and put a stop to school shootings. He called the school’s teachers “heroes” and said the response of the students is giving him “hope for the future.”22 Feb 2018 20:29:38 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/roberto_luongo_gives_emotional_pregame_speech_about_school_shooting/s1_127_25778831
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/roberto_luongo_gives_emotional_pregame_speech_about_school_shooting/s1_127_25778831Roberto Luongo gives emotional speech about school shootinghttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/roberto_luongo_gives_emotional_pregame_speech_about_school_shooting/s1_127_25778831http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/3/83c351d923d35ebe0c3f03a010426d1e5378c2b2/top_story/10626287.jpgBlackhawks ban fans who shouted racist taunts at opponentThe Chicago Blackhawks have taken swift action against fans who chanted racist taunts at a black Washington Capitals player.Caps forward Devante Smith-Pelly was sent to the penalty box after a fight during the third period of Saturday’s game. According to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post, four Blackhawks fans up against the box began chanting “Basketball! Basketball!” at him.Smith-Pelly confronted the fans through the glass, and all four were ejected by arena security. On Monday, the team announced that the fans have been banned from all future Blackhawks games. Unfortunately, racist heckling happens at sporting events from time to time. Luckily, teams tend to deal with it fairly aggressively.19 Feb 2018 18:31:49 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/blackhawks_ban_fans_who_shouted_racist_taunts_at_capitals_player/s1_127_25751162
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/blackhawks_ban_fans_who_shouted_racist_taunts_at_capitals_player/s1_127_25751162Blackhawks ban fans who shouted racist taunts at opponenthttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/blackhawks_ban_fans_who_shouted_racist_taunts_at_capitals_player/s1_127_25751162http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/a/2a96b83d9d4eb3c452ea569f37a525331164e596/top_story/10347556.jpgDetroit GM 'at top of list' to run potential Seattle franchiseWith the likelihood that Seattle will end up with their own expansion franchise in the coming years, the importance of hiring a top general manager will be surfacing quicker than ever. The Vegas Golden Knights have proved that running an expansion franchise might just be one of the top job in the NHL as George McPhee has showed. Now that Seattle has officially filed an expansion application recently, the team might be looking for their own GM, if/when it gets approved.Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland might be “at the top of the list,” of candidates to fill that role in Seattle in the near future.“Let’s make no mistake about it, Kenny Holland is out there,” Kypreos said during the Headlines segment Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada. “His contract is going to expire at the end of the year. No talks at all scheduled. It appears it might go all the way to the end of the season before it gets addressed. You’ve got to put him at the top of the list.”Some might c18 Feb 2018 22:29:21 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/detroits_holland_at_top_of_list_to_run_seattle_franchise/s1_14825_25740671
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/detroits_holland_at_top_of_list_to_run_seattle_franchise/s1_14825_25740671Detroit GM 'at top of list' to run potential Seattle franchisehttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/detroits_holland_at_top_of_list_to_run_seattle_franchise/s1_14825_25740671http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/5/5541abb382081c7721a5215b4be23fd0a9302885/top_story/GettyImages-478794100.jpgNHL releases statement about racial comments by fansThe NHL released a statement this morning about Saturday night’s incident in Chicago in which four fans directed racial remarks towards Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly. The African American forward was taunted by fans who were sitting near the penalty box in the third period of the game with the Blackhawks, while he was serving a five-minute major for fighting.According to Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan, the fans said “basketball, basketball, basketball,” while Smith-Pelly was in the box, which understandably upset him. Four fans were booted from the game following the altercation.
“Last night in Chicago, individuals directed racial taunts and abuse at Washington Capitals player Devante Smith-Pelly,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “The National Hockey League condemns this unacceptable and reprehensible behavior. The League fully supports the actions taken by the United Center and the Blackhawks to eject the offenders and would expect the same response to any similarly unacceptable18 Feb 2018 12:58:42 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/nhl_releases_statement_about_racial_comments_by_fans/s1_14825_25738331
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/nhl_releases_statement_about_racial_comments_by_fans/s1_14825_25738331NHL releases statement about racial comments by fanshttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/nhl_releases_statement_about_racial_comments_by_fans/s1_14825_25738331http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/2/5267ba811ac7c0bb735efc3aee97896715830146/top_story/10496667.jpgFans at Blackhawks game ejected for racist taunts at Capitals playerFour fans were ejected from Saturday’s Capitals-Blackhawks game at United Center for racist taunts directed at a member of the visiting team.It happened after Capitals winger Devante Smith-Pelly, who is black, was serving a five-minute penalty for fighting Connor Murphy midway through the third period. Smith-Pelly was then subjected to racist taunts while in the penalty box, as fans chanted “basketball, basketball, basketball.” The Blackhawks issued a statement about the incident, apologizing to Smith-Pelly and confirming that the fans were ejected for their actions. Capitals head coach Barry Trotz called the fans’ actions “disgusting” in speaking to reporters after the game.“There’s absolutely no place in the game of hockey or in our country for racism,” Trotz said. “I think it’s disgusting. There’s no place for it. The athletes in our country don’t deserve that. It just shows ignorance.” Trotz hit the nail on the head — there is no place for that type of behavior, no matter the situation. It is good to hear18 Feb 2018 12:46:14 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/fans_at_blackhawks_game_ejected_for_racist_taunts_at_capitals_player/s1_12740_25738031
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/fans_at_blackhawks_game_ejected_for_racist_taunts_at_capitals_player/s1_12740_25738031Fans at Blackhawks game ejected for racist taunts at Capitals playerhttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/fans_at_blackhawks_game_ejected_for_racist_taunts_at_capitals_player/s1_12740_25738031http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/5/45e98cb4b2b45adc659b975814f319191205dbc3/top_story/USATSI_10417039.jpgDion Phaneuf, Nate Thompson dealt to Kings for GaborikAfter much speculation, TSN’s Darren Dreger tweets that the Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings have agreed to a deal that will send Marian Gaborik and Nick Shore from LA to Ottawa for Dion Phaneuf and Nate Thompson. The deal will also see Ottawa absorb 25% of Phaneuf’s cap hit. The trade call was confirmed by the league at 9:14 CST per a tweet from TSN’s Bob McKenzie.McKenzie tweeted out earlier that “something appears to be done,” but players involved were still competing in their respective games. McKenzie tweeted even earlier that Phaneuf had been pulled from the lineup during the Ottawa-Pittsburgh contest so the trade could get done. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also confirmed the speculation, tweeting that the teams were working on a deal.Phaneuf still has three years left on his 7-year, $49MM deal at the end of the season. With 25% of the deal eaten by the Senators, Ottawa will save $4MM tweets TSN’s Frank Seravalli. The Kings will see a cap hit of $5.25MM.14 Feb 2018 12:00:31 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/dion_phaneuf_nate_thompson_dealt_to_los_angeles_for_gaborik/s1_14825_25701917
http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/dion_phaneuf_nate_thompson_dealt_to_los_angeles_for_gaborik/s1_14825_25701917Dion Phaneuf, Nate Thompson dealt to Kings for Gaborikhttp://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/dion_phaneuf_nate_thompson_dealt_to_los_angeles_for_gaborik/s1_14825_25701917http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/4/643953c79cb7ffe0922acc50d6d4722daed40a99/top_story/10608946.jpg